The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-23
BIOGRAPHY.
For THE SUNDAY HERALD.
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usefulness in increasing knowledge and
enlarging the mind, excels that of
biography. Though it speaks only of
individual instances and circumstances,
and though they alone cannot be taken
in preference to history, yet by joining
many such together history is formed
and written. The limited sphere of in
vldual action, circumscribed by indi-
yidual desire and energy, adds to the
interest attached to 1t the realism of
personal experience. for the hopes,
aims, desires and seekings of one
person, are, with varying modifica-
tons, those of the entire human race.
1t is by the force OF example, the
power of eloquent persuasion, and the
personal magnetism of individuals
that nations are led, or governed;
and more than one man, in the
long and varied experience of human
kind, has enjoyed the proud pre-emin-
ence of such position. Were history
divided and subdiVided into certain
eras and epochs, it might perhaps be
classified as biography and be simplified
into individual lives, as such under
standable and of kindred nature to our
own feelings and desires. Dull and I'M
intelligent must be that period that pro-
duces no person distinguished and
| talented enough to exert distinct and
characteristic influence upon his race
and country.
The most interesting, and indeed the
most instructive portions OF history
must ever remain unwritten. Actions,
be the great or small, of benefit or of
disaster to the human family, first take
form and life in individual thought and
feeling. And that thought and feeling
seldom, if ever, comes TO the light OF
day and becomes the property of the
historian, until action has stamped its
distinguishing seal upon them and they
become realities. Thrre-fourths, at
least, of our records consist of the war
like exploits of selfish and brutal con-
querors, whilst the thoughts, the yearn-
ings and actions of those who encour-
aged the arts of peace, if not entirely I'm
known, receive but the scantiest pit
| lance of praise. The name of the
man who set fire to the Temple of
Diana, at Ephesus, has been handed
down to US by successive generations,
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known. The names of countless men
fellowmen-who toiled early and late
to do good, are known only to the
Great Architect of life; nor is their re-
ward of this earth. The victors of
Marathon or Pharsalia, the defeat of
the Spanish Armada, the cringing
servility of the courtiers of Elizabeth,
we can find related in any Persian,
Roman and English history, but the
growth. the struggles, the formation of
such minds as Homer's, Virgil's, or a
Shakespeare, the nature and amount of
training and instruction they received,
the difficulties they met with and over
come, remain as deeply buried from
mortal ken as ruined temples and
palaces are covered with the dust and
rubbish and darkness of centuries.
When we say the lives of the most
humble of individuals are instructive, we
scarcely err. The principles underlying
and permeating human nature are the
same, be the motives Weighty, or little
worthy of cultivation, be the light with
in as that of the candle, or that of the
MONDAY sun, yet each alike have hopes
and fears, joys and sorrows, moments of
depression and defeat, and those of vic
tory and honor. All societies are formed
of its, of individual knowledge
and experience, each one adding, more
or less in its measure, as intelligence, or
ignorance, predominant; as prominence.
or obcurity, are his, to the aggregate of
historical details. Each change society
has undergone, however rapid or how
ever slow, has been its progress, every
addition made to the mass of human
knowledge and enlightenment, has been
preceded by perceptible transition per-
iod, in which that change was first felt
and its necessity first made apparent
and recognized by individuals. The
worm from its chrysolis state does
not at once emerge into the gaudy hues
of the summers butterfly; nor does
man from state of barbarism spring
at once into full possession of enlight-
eminent. A thousand years are to ma
ture in its silent workings but as an
hour is to man, and change is none the
less actively going on though finite
mind perceives it not.
So in human society, that change is
gradual. Some master mind like that
of Bacon, or of Newton, in the realm of
science or physical philosophy. must
grasp the truth, must become
acquainted with the presence of error,
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If they have truth with them, wisdom
for their guide, though slow in opera
ton, the change will most assuredly
come, and truth will adapt itself to
the new condition of things. The bar
rier Of usage once broken down, others
quickly and gladly follow, and as the
rushing waters of the overflowing
streams sweep distractions from its
onward way, so sweeps the light OF in
telligence, the clouds and darkness OF
errorand ignorance away.
It is more the duty and province of
biography, than that Of history, to de-
tail the inception and growth of such
changes; to recite the Ibirth of genius
and the difficulties met and overcome
in its advance. There are most generally
individuals in advance of their age
and often are they jeered and
outed by ignorance for what the sue
ceeding age most honor and praise
them. The herculean task of changing
customs, or turning from the deep worn
grooves of tradition and usage the
thoughts and beliefs of nations, is sue
cessfui only with those master-minds
who appear only at unequal and un-
certain epochs of time. But all persons
have certain influence in their par
ticular sphere of action, some more and
some less, according to their powers